The present invention generally relates to anchors and more particularly to an anchoring device suitable for restraining lines arrays having either acoustic, environmental or mechanical sensors, or a combination thereof, on the ocean floor to maintain a fixed position. The device is particularly adapted to be deployed from a submarine.
The inventive device is suitable for use with reduced diameter line type arrays of flexible tube construction. One version of the reduced diameter array is for a fixed installation that is deployable from a submarine. Since the array is of small diameter, it is to be carried inside the submarine and implanted by ejection through a floating wire antenna launching device. This invention addresses itself to solving the requirements of an anchoring device for an array with both the anchoring device and array carried inside the submarine and ejected through the antenna launcher. Without this invention, the array must be carried on the outside of the submarine with the obvious disadvantages of requiring remote launching and pay-out devices and protective super-structure for the array while stored in transit to the implantment site. Also, it appears only one array could be carried external to the submarine.